Telecommunications connection cabinet

• US 20050002633A1
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commscope Emea Limited (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.), CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, Trevor D., Holmberg, Matthew J., Solheid, James J., Mertesdorf, Daniel Ray
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/445 with lateral pivoting cover
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/46 Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/804 in optical transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A telecommunications cabinet comprising a top, a floor, a pair of opposing sides, a front wall and a rear wall defining an interior, the front including an access door for accessing the interior. Within the interior are mounted a cable management structure, an adapter panel with an adapter configured to optical connector two optical fiber cables terminated with fiber optic connectors, and a fiber optic connector holder mounted in openings of the adapter panel. The connector holder has an opening configured to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap, the opening accessible from a front side of the adapter panel. A fiber optic connector including a ferrule with a polished end face holding an end of an optical fiber with a dust cap placed about the ferrule and polished end face is inserted within the opening of a fiber optic connector holder. And a fiber optic connector is inserted within the rear side of one of the adapters.

Claims

1. A telecommunications cabinet comprising:

a top, a floor, a pair of opposing sides, a front wall and a rear wall defining an interior, the front including an access door for accessing the interior;

a cable management structure;

at least one adapter panel including a plurality of openings for mounting fiber optic adapters;

at least one adapter mounted within one of the openings in one of the at least one adapter panel, the adapter configured to optical connector two optical fiber cables terminated with fiber optic connectors, one cable on a rear side of the adapter and one cable on a front side of the adapter;

at least one fiber optic connector holder mounted within one of the openings of the at least one adapter panel, the connector holder including an opening configured to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap, the opening of the fiber optic connector holder accessible from a front side of the adapter panel.

2. The telecommunications cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a fiber optic connector including a ferrule with a polished end face holding an end of an optical fiber with a dust cap placed about the ferrule and polished end face inserted within the opening of a fiber optic connector holder.

3. A telecommunications connection rack comprising:

a rack mounting structure;

a cable management structure;

a fanout panel mounted to the rack mounting structure;

an adapter panel mounted to the rack mounting structure, the adapter panel including a plurality of adapter openings sized to receive and mount fiber optic adapters for optically connecting optical fibers within fiber optic cables terminated with fiber optic connectors, and a plurality of optical fiber adapters mounted within the openings;

a cable connector holder panel mounted to the rack mounting structure, the cable connector panel including a plurality of openings sized similarly to the openings in the adapter panel and a plurality of fiber optic connector holders mounted within the openings, each of the fiber optic connector holders configured to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap in place about an polished end face of a ferrule holding the end of an optical fiber;

the cable management structure configured to direct a fiber optic cable from the fanout panel to each of the adapter panel and the cable connector holder panel and to store excess cable length.

4. A telecommunications cable organizer comprising:

a first panel including an array of connector holders on the panel for selectively receiving a first plurality of connectors including dust caps on one end of the connector holders, the opposite end of the connector holders configured to not be matable with any of the connectors;

a second panel including an array of adapters on the panel for selectively receiving the first plurality of connectors not including dust caps on one end of the adapters, the opposite ends of the adapters configured to be matable with a second plurality of connectors without dust caps.

5. A method of connecting telecommunications service cables comprising:

providing a equipment mounting rack with a fanout module, an adapter module, a connector holder module and a cable management structure mounted to the rack;

directing a multi-strand optical fiber service cable to the fanout module;

separating the multiple strands of fiber in the service cable into individual fiber patch cords extending from the fanout module, with a distal end of each patch cord terminated with a fiber optic connector, the fiber optic connector including a dust cap positioned about a polished end face;

extending a first patch cord from the fanout module into the cable management structure so that the connector of the first patch cord is proximate a fiber optic connector holder mounted within an opening in a front of the connector holder module;

inserting the fiber optic connector of the first patch cord into the fiber optic connector holder without removing the dust cap;

withdrawing the connector of the first patch cord from the connector holder;

removing the dust cap from the polished end face;

adjusting the first patch cord within the cable management structure so that the connector is adjacent an fiber optic adapter mounted within an opening in a front of the adapter module;

inserting the connector of the first patch cord into the adapter so that the optical fiber of the patch cord is optically connected to a second connector inserted within an opposite end of the adapter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the opening in the front of the connector holder module is sized to permit mounting of the adapter upon removal of the connector holder.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises removal of the connector holder from the opening in the connector holder panel and mounting an adapter such as mounted in the adapter module in the opening in the holder connector module.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein a plurality of adapters are mounted to the adapter module, a plurality of connector holders are mounted to the connector holder module, and a plurality of patch cords extend from the fanout module.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises directing the connector of each of the patch cords from the fanout module to the cable management structure and to one of the adapter module and the connector holder module, and inserting any connectors directed to the connector holder module within a connector holder without removing the dust cap.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the adapter module includes a splitter which combines optical signals from patch cords inserted within one or more of the plurality of adapters into a single optical fiber.

11. A method of connecting telecommunications cables comprising:

providing a first panel including an array of connector holders on the panel for selectively receiving a first plurality of connectors and a second panel including an array of adapters on the panel for selectively receiving the first plurality of connectors, the first plurality of connectors each having a dust cap about a first end;

inserting the first end of each of the first plurality of connectors into the connector holders of the first panel;

withdrawing a selected one of the first plurality of the connectors from the connector holder;

removing the dust cap from the first end of the selected connector;

inserting the first end of the selected connector into one of the adapters of the second panel so that the selected connector is optically connected to a second connector inserted in an opposite end of the adapter.